South Hunterdon BOE adopts new cost controls

LAMBERTVILLE - Although criticism of the rejected South Hunterdon Regional High School budget was loud and intense, at first glance it may appear that just $228,000 has been cut from the district's tax levy of $8.04 million.

But the school board did much more in approving its revised 2010-11 budget.

In addition to getting a slice out of the budget, taxpayers won an agreement for the steps South Hunterdon is taking to alleviate the property tax burden for a school whose $24,000 per-student cost is the highest in the state.

Under an agreement worked out among the three sending communities -- Lambertville, Stockton and West Amwell "" and the school board, teachers may not get a raise this year, and school employees will start helping to pay for the cost of their health insurance.

Another target of the protesters was the heavy costs incurred in providing special-needs programs for 23 percent of the student body, totaling about 350 in grades seven through 12.

The school board will spend up to $10,000 on an independent audit and study of the issue. District superintendent Nancy Gartenberg said the percentage of students classified as having special needs has been reduced from 29 percent in recent years, and that contrary to allegations made by irate taxpayers at a city council meeting last week, students do advance and move out of the special-needs category.

The school board also agreed to develop a five-year plan for its academic program and its finances and to continue to meet monthly with representatives of the three sending districts with the goal of identifying potential cost-savings measures.

The teachers, working under a contract that expired last July 1, are in the fact-finding phase of negotiating a new contract. As of May 22, New Jersey teachers without a contract will begin paying 1.5 percent of their salaries for medical insurance. That measure alone is expected to save the district $50,000.

If there is a salary freeze for the teachers and support staff, the district would save another $111,000. Administrative salaries have already been frozen for the coming year.

For the first time the district will impose a $100-a-year fee on a student who decides to participate in an extracurricular activity or sport. The fee is capped at $200 per family, and there is no limit to participation. The fee is expected to generate about $30,000.

Before the budget went to the voters, the school board had trimmed every line item in light of losing $500,000 in state aid, Gartenberg said. The cuts included eliminating department chairmen and a teaching position.

The new budget will cost the average Lambertville property owner about $3,800, a Stockton property owner about $4,110 and a West Amwell property owner about $5,550. The tax rate per $100 of assessed valuation is 66.01 cents for Lambertville, 51.2 cents in Stockton and 58.54 cents in West Amwell.

The total budget, including debt service, is $10.19 million, down 2.09 percent from the current year's $10.41 million.

About 35 riled taxpayers appeared at the Lambertville city council meeting to protest, among other issues, the high school budget.

Mayor David DelVecchio listened to the complaints and tried to assure taxpayers that the city, along with Stockton and West Amwell, was attempting to help the school board by holding a series of monthly meetings. The municipal representatives have seen more than 40 of their 51 suggestions adopted by the school board so far, said Gartenberg.

DelVecchio told the protesters that some positive outcomes should result from the steps the school aboard took in adopting its budget.

"Until we get these things resolved with the school board, its going to be a difficult time for all of us," DelVecchio said.